• At the height of the Cold War, an offhand comment made by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to a British diplomat was translated as `We will bury you'. According to linguist Alan K. Melby, Khrushchev's remark, made in the context of a conversation about the competition between communism and capitalism, was essentially a restatement (in considerably more vivid language) of Marx's claim of communism's historic inevitability.

• Although 'we will bury you' is an acceptable literal rendering of Khrushchev's words, an equally accurate and contextually more appropriate translation would have been `We will be present at your burial'.

• Such a rendering is consistent with Khrushchev's comment later in the same conversation that communism did not need to go to war to destroy capitalism, since the latter would eventually destruct itself. In the United States, the common interpretation of `we will bury you was that we referred to the USSR, you meant the United States, and bury denoted annihilate. For many, especially those who viewed communism as a malign doctrine, the phrase became prima facie evidence of the USSR's malevolent intentions toward the United States.

• The controversy over proper translation of Khrushchev's remark reveals a serious shortcoming of the encoder—decoder account of human communication. Although language is in some respects a code, in other respects it is not. The fact that `we will bury you' could yield two equally `correct' renderings that differed radically underscores the fact that humans do not use language simply as a set of signals mapped onto a set of meanings.

• Although all communication is subject to misunderstandings, business communication is particularly difficult as the material is often complex.

• Moreover, the sender and the receiver may face distractions that divert their attention. Further, the opportunities for feedback are often limited, making it difficult to correct misunderstandings.

• Communication barriers are not limited to an individual or two people only, they exist in the entire organization. Miscommunication takes place when the message received is not the same as the message sent. The causes for miscommunication are many. Some significant causes for miscommunication are discussed below:

• Organizational Structure: All organizations, irrespective of their size, have their own communication techniques and each nurtures its own communication climate. In large organizations where flow of information is downward, feedback is not guaranteed. Organizations with a flat structure usually tend to have an intricately knitted communication network. Tall organizations generally have too many vertical communication links, as a result messages become distorted as they move through the various organizational levels.

• Irrespective of the size, all organizations have communication policies that describe the protocol to be followed. It is the structure and complexity of this protocol that usually gives rise to communication barriers.

• Organizations not only employ the formal methods of communication but also the informal ones, such as grapevine. Today, organizations have realized that a rigid hierarchical structure usually restricts the flow, of communication. When the process of communication is hierarchical, information flows through a number of transfer points. There is a strong possibility that messages may get distorted, delayed, or lost at these points. To obviate this, the receiver should be contacted directly rather than through numerous transfer stations. Also, the message should be presented orally as this reduces the dependence on transfer stations. To further overcome structural barriers, opportunities should exist for communicating upward, downward, and horizontally (using techniques like employee surveys, open-door policies, newsletters, memos, and task groups). An attempt should be made to reduce hierarchical levels, increase co-ordination between departments, and encourage two-way communication.

• Difference in Status When people belonging to different hierarchical positions communicate with each other, there is a possibility of miscommunication. Generally, employees at lower levels of the hierarchy are overly cautious while sending messages to managers and talk about subjects they think the managers are interested in. Similarly, people of higher status may distort messages by refusing to discuss anything that would tend to undermine their authority in the organization. In other words, they may want to retain the importance of their status. This tendency is beneficial neither for the employees nor for the organization. Limiting oneself to a particular department or being responsible for a particular task can narrow one's point of view so that it differs from the attitudes, values, and expectations of people who belong to other departments or who are responsible for other tasks.

Miscommunication arising due to differences in status can be overcome by keeping the managers and the lower-level employees well informed. Employees should be encouraged to keep their managers informed by being fair minded and respectful of their opinions. They should be brave and convey even such information that the boss might not like.

Lack of Trust: Establishing credibility or building trust among subordinates or with colleagues is a difficult task. Subordinates may not know whether their manager will respond in a supportive or responsible way, and hence, it is necessary for the manager to ensure that they have faith in him. Without trust, free and open communication is effectively blocked, thereby threatening the organization's stability. You may be very clear in your communication, but that is not enough. People should trust you to accept or to freely discuss with you on what you communicate.

Barriers to trust can be overcome by being visible and accessible. Hiding or insulating behind assistants or secretaries will not help. Share key information with colleagues and employees, communicate honestly, and include employees in decision making. Creating an open communication environment in the organization, helping employees in times of distress, and assuring them of your suggestion or co-operation may help you to build trust in their minds.

Closed Communication Climate An organization's communication climate is influenced by its management style. A directive, authoritarian style blocks free and open exchange of information that characterizes good communication. To overcome barriers related to organizational environment, one should spend more time listening than issuing orders. Make sure you respond constructively to employees, and, of course, encourage employees and colleagues to offer suggestions, help set goals, participate in solving problems, and help make decisions. See to it that employees are willing to communicate both their problems and perspectives to you openly.

Incorrect Choice of Medium Choosing an inappropriate communication medium can distort the message and block the intended meaning. One should select a medium that suits the nature of the message and the intended recipient(s). Media richness relates to the value or importance of a medium in a given communication situation. It is determined by a medium's ability to convey a message using more than one informational cue (visual, verbal, or vocal) to facilitate feedback and to establish personal focus.

Face-to-face communication is the richest medium because it is personal, it provides immediate feedback, transmits information from both verbal and non-verbal cues, and conveys the emotion behind the message. Telephones and other interactive electronic media are not as effective. Although they allow immediate feedback, they do not provide visual non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, eye contact, and body movements. Written media can be personalized through memos, letters, and reports, but immediate feedback is missing along with the visual and vocal non-verbal cues that contribute to the meaning of the message. The leanest media are generally impersonal written messages, such as bulletins, fliers, and standard reports. They lack the ability to transmit non-verbal cues and to give feedback. They also eliminate any personal focus.

Information Overload At times, people load their messages with too much information. Remember that too much information is as bad as too little because it reduces the audience's ability to concentrate on the most important part of the message. The recipients facing information overload sometimes tend to ignore some of the messages, delay responses to messages they deem unimportant, answer only parts of some messages, or react only superficially to all messages. All these failures lead to miscommunication.

To overcome information overload, as a sender, be focused, realize that some information is not necessary, and include only the pertinent information.

• Message Complexity There are two significant reasons for any message to become complex in a business setting--one, the dry an difficult nature of the message itself and the other, the difficulty in understanding it. Imagine trying to write an important insurance policy, a set of instructions on how to operate a sophisticated LCD projector, the guidelines for checking credit references, an explanation of why profits have dropped by 10% in the last six months, or a description of some solid waste management program. These topics are dry, and making them clear and interesting is a real challenge. When formulating business messages, you communicate both as an individual and as a representative of an organization. Thus, you must adjust your own ideas and style so that they are acceptable to your employer. Regardless of your personal feelings, you must communicate your firm's message, a task communicators find difficult.

• Of course, it is not difficult to overcome the barriers to communicating complex messages. It can be done by keeping the messages clear and easy to understand, organizing them suitably, guiding readers by telling them what to expect, using concrete and specific language, and by being focused. Never forget to ask for feedback, which is essential for clarifying and improving a message.

Message Competition Invariably most of the business messages compete for the full and undivided attention of their receivers. This may happen at two levelsintra-personal and inter-personal. If you are talking on the phone while scanning a report, both messages are apt to get short shrift. It may happen so that when you are the sender of a message, it may have to compete with a variety of interruptions—phone rings every five minutes, people intrude, meetings are called, and crises arise. In short, your messages rarely have the benefit of the receiver's undivided attention. Such barriers are true for both oral and written messages.

Avoid communicating to a receiver who does not have the time to pay attention to your message.

Unethical Communication Relationships within and outside the organization depend on trust and fairness. It does not mean that organizations should not be tactful. By all means it is possible for organizations to avoid illegal or unethical messages and still be credible or successful in the long run. Barriers arising out of unethical conduct may affect communication both within and outside the organization. Imagine a situation in which your colleague goes to your boss and takes credit for the success of a project, which in reality you have accomplished.

• Similarly, think about a leading company that has created hype about the potential of its product, and in the process hoodwinked its prospective customers. These examples reveal that resorting to unethical means in communication may not drive you to success but to trouble.

• Make sure that your messages include all the factual information that ought to be there. Ensure that your information is adequate and relevant to the situation. Above all, make sure that your message is completely truthful, not deceptive in any way, and does not mislead the audience.

• Physical Distractions Recall the time when you delivered a talk to a large audience seated in a hall, which was poorly lit and inadequately seated. You might have observed that though you tried your best to attract the audience's attention through the various verbal and non-verbal means of communication, you found it difficult because of the shortcomings of the place. Communication barriers are often physical: bad connections, poor acoustics, illegible copy, etc.

• Although noise of this sort seems trivial, it can completely block an otherwise effective message. An uncomfortable chair, poor lighting, or some other irritating condition might also distract your receiver. In some cases, the barrier may be related to the receiver's health. Hearing or visual impairment or even a headache can interfere the reception of a message. These annoyances do not generally block communication entirely, but they do reduce the receivers' concentration by distracting their attention.

To overcome physical barriers, exercise as much control as possible over the physical transmission link. If you are delivering an oral presentation, choose a setting that permits the audience to see and hear you without straining.

To decrease the possibility of miscommunication, follow these four simple steps:

1. Consider seriously the recipients of your message. Make sure that the key people who have to receive the written or oral message are included. One way to ensure you have involved the right people is to think about who should have a say in the context. Make your decisions accordingly.

2. Think about how to send the message, i.e., should the mode be verbal or written. Verbal messages can be easily misinterpreted, especially when there are noises or distractions in the immediate surroundings; if the sender or receiver is anxious, uncertain, or fearful; if the words used are unclear or if the message is complicated, detailed, unclear, and so on.

3. Follow up your verbal message with a written statement. In a meeting, if you make an important planned statement, distribute a copy of that message. If it was important, but not planned or not written down, ask someone to repeat the statement. After a phone call, a brief encounter with someone, or a scheduled meeting, follow up the statements with a written communication of understanding or confirmation.

4. Finally, decide who can communicate with whom. As a leader, your goal is to combine simplicity with effectiveness. You want messages to come in and go out; you want the right people to receive them in an efficient and effective manner. This means deciding who speaks and writes to whom.

If all communications pass through your office, you will have direct and complete control over formal information. This is a very time-consuming, bureaucratic, and control-oriented approach with clear drawbacks. The disadvantage, however, of allowing everyone to speak with everyone is that the company messages probably would not be uniform. Therefore, consider the risks before deciding how to handle company information.

By being effective, managers can create and establish a healthy organizational environment. Effective communication enables managers in moving towards better functionalization of departments and successfully dealing with the complexity of business activities. A manager with good communication skills would certainly have an edge over others in dealing with and solving problems arising out of turbulence in trade unions and other disturbances among abjurers. He/she will be competent in facing inter-cultural differences too.

• How to make managerial communication more effective? There are certain characteristics of managerial communication, an understanding of which would provide the managers with a proper perspective on effectiveness in communication. The factors that render communication effective are as follows:

• Appropriate Communication Style: Every organization has its own culture, which is a reflection of its values, traditions, habits, and customs. Some companies tend to curb the upward flow of communication believing that it is time consuming and unproductive, whereas other companies foster candor and honesty, and employees feel free to confess their mistakes, to disagree with their boss, and to express their opinions.

• There are several factors that influence an organization's communication climate, including the nature of the industry the company's physical set-up, the history of the company, and passing events. However, one of the most important factors is the management style of the top management. Some managers regard workers as lazy and Irresponsible, motivated by the fear of losing their jobs. Such managers adopt a directive style.

• On the other hand, some other managers adopt a more supportive style, assuming that people like to work and take responsibility when they believe in what they are doing. There is yet another set of managers who encourage employees to work together as a team. Such managers adopt a participative style. Although the company still looks after employees, it also gives them the opportunity to take responsibility and to participate in decision making.

The trend today is towards any style that encourages open communication climate. In such a climate, managers spend more time listening than issuing orders, and workers not only offer suggestions but also help set goals and collaborate on solving problems. It expects special managers to create an open atmosphere and stay in touch with employees. Effective managers understand that free flow of information allows an organization to identify and attack problems quickly. Therefore, to promote the right atmosphere, these managers get out of their offices, walk around headquarters, meet often with small non-management groups, and travel the country and the globe to visit their `troops'. To understand and to be understood by their work force, they learn other languages when necessary, and even though they prefer face-to-face conversations, they use high-tech means like video conferencing.

As the participative style promotes and establishes open communication climate, it is the best amongst the three styles of management.

Audience-centered Approach: Managers need to keep their audience in mind at all times during the process of communication. Their ability to empathize with, be sensitive to, and generally consider their audience's feelings is the best way to be effective in their communication. Focusing on the audience is the impetus for everything else they do in the communication process. For example, being clear and correct in their communication is important not only because it is ethical but also because it ensures that their audience has an opportunity to react to their message without having to sort out cluttered or incorrect language.

More than an approach to business communication, the audience-centered approach is actually the modern approach to business in general (it is behind the concepts of total quality management and total customer satisfaction). The advantages of using this approach include successful communication by making it meaningful for the audience, enhanced credibility (because our audience perceives our sincerity), and staving off uncountable ethical questions (because when we concentrate on the benefits to our audience, our concern for others reduces the chance of an ethical lapse).

As managers want to know what their audience's needs are and what they think of their message, they will work for an open communication climate inside and outside their organization. Because they sincerely wish to satisfy the needs of their audience, they will approach communication situations with good intentions and high ethical standards. Since they need to understand their audience, they will do whatever it takes to understand intercultural differences and barriers. Because they make a practice of anticipating their audience's expectations, they will choose the appropriate technological tools for their message and make the best use of them. Finally, because they value their audience's time, they will prepare and communicate oral and written messages as efficiently as possible. Hence, centering their attention on their audience helps managers accomplish the other five factors that contribute to the effectiveness of managerial communication.

3. Understanding of Intercultural Communication:

With the phenomenal advancement in the field of science and technology, more and more businesses are crossing national boundaries to compete on a global scale, and the make up of the global and domestic work force is changing rapidly. The European, Asian, and US firms are establishing offices around the world and creating international ties through global partnerships, cooperatives, and affiliations.

It is necessary for these companies to understand the laws, customs, and business practices of their host countries, and deal with business associates and employees who are native to these countries. Even within their nation, firms are working with a growing number of employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. So, whether managers work abroad or at home, they will encounter increasing cultural diversity in the workplace. To compete successfully in today's multicultural environment, they have to overcome the communication barriers arising out of various differences in language, culture, business practices, etc.

Understanding cultural differences in perception, greetings, and gestures is critical to all business people. Success in business often depends on knowing the business practices, social customs, and etiquette of the host country. Ignorance in this regard and the mistakes committed may lead to miscommunication, which can cause businesses to lose their position in the market, keep firms from accomplishing their objectives, and ultimately lead to failure.Today's managers must realize that it is not enough if they are able to speak a language, they must also be able to communicate effectively in various business situations.